Sick with Love

Okay, it's day three of being locked away sick in my apartment.

Listening to Ave Maria and editing videos is not cutting it. My editing software is messing up and keeps freezing. So I am not sure what to do about that...

Last night it was a little tough to sleep because I was having trouble breathing (not that bad), I just have some cough and chest issues. Not to mention being weirdly hot and sweaty all yesterday and last night. I woke up to a nice stench of my own body odor, lovely right? To top that off the water was shut off this morning. Thankfully I keep an extra "Jeri Can" I think its called, a big plastic jug filled with water, and gave myself a nice bath. So now I'm as clean as can be, my night sweats and dizziness are leaving me, but I still am coughing up a storm and having some trouble breathing.

All is well and will be, I'm loading my body with plenty of chemicals to help fight off whatever is going on haha.

I think I might have gotten sick from Jonathan at school, he has been sick and the last time I was there he was coughing a whole lot. And of course love has no boundaries so neither must I, so naturally on Tuesday Jonathan and I were holding hands and he was touching my face all over. If I did get sick from him I will gladly do it over and over again just to see the smile and joy on his face as we play together.

God has used these days to teach me some things and for me to get back to my habit of reading, so its not all boring and bad as I said before.

I'm currently reading "Where There Is Love, There Is God" by Mother Teresa and of course its an amazing book. Every word touches my heart and brings me closer to Our Lord.

  "From the Cross, Jesus cries out, "I thirst." His thirst was for souls-even as He hung there-dying alone, despised. Who will bring those souls to Him to satiate that thirst of the infinite God dying of love?"

This is why we must ALL be loving one another, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and bringing each other closer to Christ. Jesus hungers and thirsts for our souls. We must step away from the noise of the world and make time for silent prayer with Him and always be helping our neighbors.

Right now I am sick and cannot be around all the children at BDI as I wish to be. But that certainly does not mean I am useless right now. I am probably more useful now as I am alone in the quite of my apartment offering my sickness up to the Lord for those like Jonathan. And for the praying for the kids at BDI and all those around the world who are suffering and in need of Jesus in their hearts.

"Just one thing counts: to be humble, to pray" 

Future School in Semuto Uganda

      Some children who neighbor the land for the new BDI school to be built. So cute!!

 The current building of a house for Joel and the workers to stay in while building the new school.

                                 
            A beautiful mango tree with corn growing all around.

           
     Following this boy through the giant corn field Joel has planted for the kids at BDI.

                                                       I spy a little boy. :)

              Pictures can't capture how absolutely beautiful this is!! We are at the top of the hill where BDI property ends. Joel has purchased such a beautiful place away from the city in the hope of building a new and bigger school for not only the kids at BDI but for more Deaf out there that deserve an education.

Where do I begin?

This whole time I've been here I have not know what to write, where would I even start?

There is just SO much that I am learning and trying to understand. Absolutely everything is different!! A 'turtle' messaged me on Facebook asking me some questions and it took me no time to answer them, word just kept flowing and flowing. Then it hit me that this is it, this is what I need to write about.

There is a lot of frustrations that I have been experiencing in my first week. The language barrier is the most frustrating of all. But I know like all things this too shall pass and I will be comfortable and love it here!

The kids are SO joyful and precious! There are currently 52 that attend BDI and 20 of them come to school in the morning and then go home after school, the rest stay there to live. These 52 kids are packed into a very small school with small classrooms and bedrooms. Two classes are packed into one classroom, there is no such thing as "my space".

There is one girls room and one boys room. These rooms are small. My bedroom in my apartment is not that big, I couldn't imagine having to fit 17 people in here. That's how it is for these kids. They have 6 beds (tiny beds) all stacked up that these 17 boys share, some of them have to sleep on the cement floor. It the same in the girls room. Close your eyes and picture that.

Every single day they eat the same thing, morning, afternoon, and night. These are growing kids here with very poor nutrition. In the morning its porridge, for lunch its pasho and beans, and for supper its pasho and beans again. That is all they can afford and sometimes they can't afford anything and the kids go hungry.

Yet they are so joyful and filled with Jesus. All they ever want to do is hold our hand and hug us, seriously, they fight over it sometimes. :)

Their airplane drawings!

There is an 18 year old Deaf girl that has recently started coming to school here. She has never had any education or learning, and she has NEVER had a language. This hit me in the face like a ton of bricks. Even writing this I can't stop crying. To know that she has gone 18 years, her whole life, with no one to talk to, no one to share anything with, no one to tell her 'I love you and Jesus loves you even more'. Can you imagine? I can't. It pains me to think of someone going that long without ever knowing the Gospel, never reading Christ's words, learning about His death on the Cross for us. Then I think how many of us have the opportunity to learn and read His words but choose not to!
But she knows love, I know she does. I see her so happy and smiling everyday. She comes and hugs me and always smiles when I look at her. And she is learning a lot, she pays such close attention, soaks up everything she can, and tries her hardest even if it takes a long time.




Father, strengthen me so I may do Your work and follow Your Will always and never my own. Make me love like Jesus.

Praying before lunch!

Praying after school!

                       Every Wednesday they have a big debate. This week it was village live vs. town life.

4 Days :)

I'm leaving in 4 short days! I'm so excited for everything God has in store for the kids at BDI and myself. I am so very greatful for the many people God has put in my life that have helped me draw closer to Him and who have been helping me prepare for this journey.

I've grown so much this past year. It excites me knowing how much more the Lord will allow me to grow during this 7 month's in Uganda and my life. I pray that through me He will be able to do His work. To love through me, heal through me, and shine His light through me. I pray I make a worthy disciple, capable of carrying out His Will and loving as deeply as possible. All praise and thanks be to Him for all things.

I will have nothing to fear from trials and tribulations so long as Your grace is with me.

Dear Lord, how absolutely necessary is Your grace for me, not only to begin that which is good, but to preserve with it and to accomplish it. Without You, I can do nothing, but when Your grace strengthens me, I can do all things. -Imitation of Christ

God Is Good and So Are His People

Brandt, one of the Dads at the daycare I work at, went to Uganda 12 years ago and has been helping me prepare for my journey there. He is awesome.
I babysat for him one night and when he got home we ended up talking about Uganda and everything for a long time. He got out all of his stuff from Africa and told me lots of stories. We talked about everything, his mission, helping people, and how he's never felt closet to God then when he was in Uganda. He even let me pick out something from Uganda to keep and I chose the carving of Africa.

God is great at putting people in my life at the right time. Brandt is a blessing and has really helped me stay strong in my faith and know God is in control always.
He has some lovely friends in Rwanda and they have invited me to visit them there and I am so excited for that! He tells me they are such a great example of a Christian family and missionaries as well. I can't wait to meet them.
I have been blessed and very honored to have had the opportunity to speak in front of two different women's groups from my church. Although I was very nervous both times it all went great!
I got to share my story, my faith journey, my calling to Africa, Boanerges Deaf Initiative, and how amazing God is. These lovely women gave me lots of donations, love, and best of all prayers. They made me a nice money tree and made a wall hanging of Africa that I absolutely love! I'm so thankful for that opportunity and getting to meet all of those sweet ladies.

Yesterday I such a great time with some amazing people from Kenya, Ghana, and Texas! They are friends of my Aunt and when she told them of my plans they decided to cook dinner for my family and I.
They made some delicious African food and filled me with information. They are the kindest people and I just love them. One of the gifts I received is called a Kente, its from Ghana and is absolutely beautiful! Its kind of similar to a scarf...I don't like scarfs...but this I like. :)

They also offered me the opportunity to visit Kenya and stay with their family, I accepted this of course!
God is so good. In His people there is so much good as well. Everyday He teaches me how important the little things are. How important relationships are and simply talking with someone. I've always been more shy and reserved but God is helping me break through that and realize the importance of friendships. People to people, that's how He works through us and brings us closer together and closer to Him.
51 more days until I leave for Uganda and a little over $7,700 has been donated to me! Thanks be to God.
Peace Love & Africa

Update

Dalton is not coming with me. I'm not sure if this qualifies as bad news or good news. I was upset, of course, when we found that he couldn't come. Long story short; he has four and a half more years of reserve and with his contract he is not allowed to leave the country. The Lords Will be done and although I would like him to come, God just has something else in mind and I'm perfectly okay with that! This mission is all for Him and because of Him so I won't question the way He does things.

I am only 101 days away from my departure and have less then $2,000 left to raise. I am so thankful to all of these wonderful people who have been graciously donating and praying for me.

This experience has already been changing me and teaching me so many things. I feel so humbled by everything and I have really been able to see Christ in others. The spirit of giving is truly wonderful.

At first I was thinking that some of these lovely people were crazy for giving me so much. How selfish of me? This giving isn't to me, its through me, its to these children and through them straight to Jesus. "Whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me". Its so wonderful to see Christ at work, its amazing. We all give because Jesus gave and that's what He asks of us.

Peace Love & Africa

Another Soldier for Christ

Another one of those days where you really feel how in control God is.

I've been trying to find someone to go to Uganda with me, at least until I arrive, get the hang of things, and get to know the people I'm staying with. On Saturday, I was texting with a close family friend, Dalton, who as of December finished serving with the U.S. Army. I asked him if he would come with me, at least for the first few weeks. He said that he wished that he could but, no. So, that was that and we move on in our conversation.

Sunday came and Dalton texted me when he got out of church. After I asked him how church went he told me this:

"It was really, really good!
So, God told me to go and build. What do I have to do to come to Uganda with you for 7 months. I'm being 100% serious."

Ah! I was in shock and didn't really know what to say! God is so amazing, truly. Dalton came over a few hours later and we discussed everything, he emailed BDI, set up a fundraising page, and I got him a flight reserved with mine! Our Lord is so amazing and perfect the way He takes care of everything.

Pray that Dalton and I continue to say yes to whatever Our Lord asks of us and that we may conduct ourselves in a manner pleasing to Him.

Peace, Love, and Africa